I purchased this 4.0 with quadra-trac and it did not have a spare. The owners manual indicates there was a temp spare available but a local tire store told me not to run one because it will ruin my "axle" if I have to use it. I would like to save some internal space with a temp spare but not if it should not be run if needed. Anyone have any data as to whether this will or will not hame the vehicle.

A get-me-home will do just that, get you home. In a pinch it's better than nothing, but a full size spare is better to have. You'd be able to drive with the full size as long as you need to and not have to worry about the donut falling off!!! _________________Underground Jeeps

I second the full-size. If you're in the middle of nowhere, the spare will get you home, the donut will get you to the nearest garage.

IMO It's well worth the extra for the full size, and it doesn't take up too much space in the back either._________________-1997 Stock XJ
-4.0 L
-4-speed automatic
-130k Miles (and counting)-> let me know of any preventative maintenance you guys can think of. PM me.

i got a full size spare in my jeep... actualy.. its on top, thats how i soled my space issues for my jeep. i have it bunggie corded down tight and i have a cable and pad lock to prvent some one from walking away with it.

I’m sure some of you will get a kick out of this. My 95 ZJ came with the donut spare (seemed half the size of my tires), which, if used for more than a mile or so, could cause serious t-case problems. If previous owners ever used this for very long, it may have contributed to the reason why I’m having to repair my t-case.

I use most of the volume in my rig for my carpentry tools and found the spare to always be in the way, or having to move it to a different location to fit particular items in the vehicle. I'm often hauling lumber and not interested in having it mounted to my roof either.

Anyway for 4 years and 70,000 miles I have opted to always have good tires on my rig, and my donut (spare) sits in the garage on a full time basis. I carry a can of “fix-a-flat” with me and have only needed it once. This has worked out well, even though I lived on gravel/rock roads where it was 30 miles each way to the blacktop, as well as my trail rides to the 13,000 ft. elevations in the Rockies.

the other day i saw a JGC that had a swing out tire cartrier on the back.....look for one of those....thats what im gona do....just the other day i had 2 stop in front of a parking structure and pull my spare off the top so i could fit in.

needless 2 say i cursed the parking structure 2 hell and vowed i would never go back